Safety closure for extractors



SAFETY CLOSURE FOR EXTRACTORS Filed Jan. 3, 1925 I & Z7 "T Gm AK k IN ENTElRfi Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

UNITED STATES OSCAR DUNBAR AND OTTO F. ROHLOFF, F

TOLEDO, OHIO; SAID DUNIBAB ASSIGNOR '10 SAID nonnorr.

SAFETY CLOSURE FOR EXTBACTORS.

Application filed January This invention relates to closure devices for rapidly moving vessels.

This invention has utility when incorporated in a closure for a rotating vessel or 6 basket of a centrifugal machine or extractor type, say as used for the drying of clothes in laundries.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is 'a side elevation, with parts 1 broken away, of an embodiment of the invention in a clothes drier of the centrifugal type;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the closure in position on the clothes container or basket;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the sections in side elevation as swung to open position on the basket or clothes container;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lock between closure sections on the line IV-IV, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a closure section.

Main frame 1 is shown as having hanger 35 2 carrying minor or auxiliary frame 3. This auxiliary frame 3 sustains receiver 4 into which the water is thrown from the ext-ractor during operation. The frame 3 carries driving motor 5 having depending shaft 6 which has central cone 7 thereon from which extends clothes container 8 as a vessel having openings 9 therethrough for the throw ing of water from this container 8 into the receiver 4 during the high speed rotation of the shaft 6 in its hearings carried by the frame 3 coaxially of the container 8.

This container 8 has from its upper portion an overhanging portion 10 extending to terminate in bead 11 at central opening 12. The receiver 4 has above and adjacent the container overhanging portion 10, an overhanging portion 13 terminating in opening 14: registering with the opening 12 of the container.

Mounted on head 11 is ring 15 providing upper groove 16, and with the upper face of the head 11, providing lower groove 17. lhis adaptation of the guide means with the container is for general installation although in practice the guide means may be formed directly with the container instead of being mounted therewith by rivets 18 as herein disclosed. In a similar manner instead of the hub 7 being of an extent below the plane of the groves 16, 17, the hub 7 23, 1925. Serial No. 4,302.

may extend upward and thus. obviate the necessity of auxiliary hub section 19.

About the shaft 6 is ring 20 carrying closure section 21 herein shown slightly in excess of 180 extent and in guide groove 17. Ring 22 as resting on the ring 20 and surrounding the shaft 6 carries closure section 23 in the guide groove 16. Ring 24 also about the shaft 6 and resting on the ring 22 carries closure section 25 peripherally in the groove 16. These closure sections 23 and 25 each approximate 90 in extent. These three sections 21, 23 and 25, each has its rings 20, 22 and 24 embracing the shaft 6. In closed position these three sections surround this shaft 6. The shaft 6 moves with the container 8 in the containers-normal operation for extracting water from clothes in said container. There is accordingly no shifting or rotation by the shaft of the closure sections relatively to the container. The peripheral portions of these closure sections are guided against shifting outward from the container due to jamming of clothes or other material thereagainst during operation.

Central rings limit the radial shiftings of these sections so that they may be moved in arc travel with a minimum of resistance.

As the extractor is stopped, access may be had to the extractor by rocking weighted handles 26 upward and inward thereby withdrawing latches 27 from holding position between the sections. The handles 28 may then be moved away from each other to cause the sections 23, 25, to slide in the groove 16 over the closure section 21. With the sections thus telescoping with each other, arm 29 may be swung on its pivot mounting 30 as to the auxiliary frame 3 down into engaging position with the forward edge of the open sections 21, 23. This movement of the arm 29 shifts its after-portion 31 clear of switch 32 as an inter-lock so that motor 5 may not be started with this closure in open position. As the operator removes {clothes from this container 8 or charges clothes thereinto, the container may be grasped in its open portion and shifted clockwise to bring the rear part of the container into position while the arm 29 holds the closure sections 23, 21, so that during this shifting of the container theentire sectional closure is held and slides in the grooves 16, 17. When the dried clothes or material is no removed from the container 8 and the machine is recharged with wet clothing or other material from which moisture is to be extracted, the arm 29 may be thrown back into position to close the inter-lock switch 32 and the knobs 28 of the sections 25, 23, pulled toward each other into closure position so that with the closure section 21 the container 8 is fully closed.

In practice it has been found not essential to lock these closures in this opening concealing position. However, as a safeguard and for some materials where such might be desirable, the latches 27 are provided and the weighted handles 26 serve as gravity means to maintain these locks closed in holding' the sections against shifting over each other.

In the operation hereunder at the high speed normally used in practice for drying clothes or moisture removal from material there is such tendency of material to wedge out and work through that considerable force may be exerted by a thrown strip or sheet sufficient to pull one passing by into the machine or be dangerous to the general structure or its operation. Herein this closure precludes even the starting of any loosening of material. Accordingly the strength for retention is not required as there is no opportunity to have the destruc tive force get headway. (In operation this closure is disposed to have no projecting moving parts which might interfere or tend to draw an operator into a dangerous position. The clothing or material during the drying operation is thrown against the outer walls of the container 8 and as so packed may be loosened up and removed from the container by opening the closure as herein. During this throwing of the material radially outward there is avoidance of holding action for the water in the vessel by relieving any vacuum tendency. Such is accomplished by having openings 33 in the closure sections. There is accordingly herein a simple device which does not interfere with extractor operation and which may be readily placed into material controlling position for operation.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. A frame, a rotating driving shaft, a container mounted for rotation by said shaft on a vertically extending axis, said frame.

providing a mounting engaging the shaft coaxially of the container and longitudinally of the shaft away from the container, said container having an open top about said axis, a sectional closure for said open top, and a stop movable to engage the closure and hold said closure while permitting container rotation.

2. A frame, a depending rotating driving shaft, a container sustained by said shaft and having an open top about said shaft, and a sectional closure for said open top embodying a major section and two minor sections, said sections having ring portions in alignment about said shaft.

3. A. frame, a depending rotatingdriving shaft, a container sustained by said shaft and having an open top about said shaft, a sectional closure forsaid open top, and a stop movable to engage the closure and hold said closure while permitting container rotation.

4. An extractor embodying a. main frame, a movable frame carried thereby, an open top reservoir carried by the movable frame, an open top peripherally perforate container in the reservoir, a rotatable driving shaft for actuating the container, and a closure for the container open top accessible for shifting relatively to the container from through the open top of the reservoir, said closure being perforate to facilitate the es cape of liquid from the perforate container.

5. An extractor embodying a main frame, a movable frame carried thereby, an open top reservoir carried by the movable frame, an open top container in the reservoir, a rotatable driving shaft suspending the container in the reservoir with said open tops in registry, one of said container tops being bounded by a pair of guide parallel grooves, and closure sections about the shaft relatively slidable in said grooves.

6. An extractor embodying a main frame, a movable frame carried thereby, an open top reservoir carried by the movable frame,

an open top container in the reservoir, a

rotatable driving shaft suspending the container in the reservoir with said open tops in registry, one of said container tops being bounded by a pair of parallel guide grooves, and closure sections each having a shaft embracing section and each extending to slidably coact with a groove.

In Witness whereof we affix our signatures.

OSGAR DUNBAR. OTTO F. ROHLOFF. 

